SOAR Teen & Young Adult Christian Magazine

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“It’s not only that God just forgives you…it’s not only that He covered me and set me free and forgave me, but He goes so much farther. He crowns me with glory and honor and favor, He calls me His daughter – I thrive on the joy…the presence of God is the fullness of joy…” – Beckah Shae

A few weeks back I heard Beckah Shae’s testimony on the Revolution show on JCTV and was moved by her heart for God and her story. Watch her talk about how she came to where she is today:

“I know personally that I’ve been called to stand. I’d like to see how many people are going to be really, truly willing to stand…Do you know Him and does He know you?” – Beckah Shae

At the beginning of January I gave a message to the teen girl ministry at my church about Esther and how like she followed God’s plan for her life, we should also be bold and say yes to our purpose. One of my inspirations for the message was Beckah Shae’s song from her album “Destiny,” listen to the lyrics below:

By SOAR • January 2012 • No Comments

Author, speaker and ministry leader Tony Snipes helps today’s gifted artisans answer questions about their purpose and creative calling through his initiatives Art Lessons From God and Kreative Kingdom.

“What is it that you love doing that you wouldn’t even have to have anybody pay you for… That’s your passion…the beauty of it would be that if you’re pursuing that and you’re getting paid for it then it’s not even like work.” – Tony Snipes

Be sure to check out the resource links at the end of the interview including a free download of Tony’s audio resource “How To Identify Your Creative Calling: Your CALLING, Your CAREER, Your JOB…What’s The Difference?”

Most everyone has asked these questions:

• Who am I?
• Why am I here?
• What should I be doing?

Artists in particular, from painters to musicians, may ask these questions regarding their gifts:

• Who am I as an artist?
• Why do I have this talent?
• What does God want me to do with it?

Tony Snipes, a gifted artist himself and founder of Kreative Kingdom, Inc. a non-profit faith-based art initiative, began asking these questions and created a resource to help other artists discover their creative purpose.

Tony’s project, Art Lessons from God delves into these questions of gifting and calling. The blog, workshops, books and other resources were created with the goal of helping artists and designers discover God’s purpose and plan for their artistic talent. Watch Tony introduce the site below:

Though the site is targeted toward visual artists it has much insight that could inspire artists of any type from writers and performers to musicians and filmmakers. Many of the topics explored can apply to a variety of arts, like “Anointed versus Talented: What’s the Difference?” to “Discovering a “God” idea vs a “Good” idea.”

Often in our society we acknowledge the “how” regarding talents of individuals but may not always consider the deeper questions involved with “why”. In this interview Tony Snipes discusses his background in the visual arts and gives advice to other artists in figuring out their “why” and God’s purpose for them:

Dream in Soul: Hi Tony, thanks for speaking to me today. Can you tell us a little about who you are: What is your background in art and your profession?

Tony Snipes: Well prior to going into graphic design and illustration I have been drawing and painting all of my life but especially kind of training myself to draw and sketch from my comic books as a kid. So I did a lot of drawing back then, and am professionally trained as a graphic designer – graphic design and illustration…that’s pretty much my professional background with art…

Below is one of Tony Snipes’ pieces entitled “Endure.”

DS: What inspired you to start your website “Art Lessons From God”?

Tony Snipes: What really started challenging me is and kind of pushed me towards starting the site was based on a conversation that I had with a young man back in the late ‘90s. He was an artist as well and he was about to graduate from high school, and was contemplating going to art school or taking something else… We were talking in church and both of us started asking, where is the artist in the Bible?

By SOAR • October 2011 • No Comments

“When we give our dreams to God, putting them all in His hands, and realizing that we need Him, that’s when He begins to work in mighty and powerful ways through us. Let us be a generation who stands for Christ, and love as He loves us. Young and old, let’s make an impact on the world together, as we join as one in Him.” – Tiffany Stanley

In SOAR’s Artist Snapshots Series we love to feature young upcoming artists who have inspiring music ministries. I came across Tiffany Stanley’s music one day and was encouraged by the candid messages in her songs, and the soft acoustic sound she brings.

I especially loved the lyrics of “Break Me Down” the first track off Tiffany Stanley’s new album ‘Revival’:

Visit Tiffany’s website at http://tiffanystanley.com to learn more about her ministry and to purchase her music. You can also connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Tiffany will be singing at an upcoming event, The Dream Girlz Gathering, hosted by music artist Melinda Watts. If you are in the Seattle area August 26th and 27th be sure to visit the Dream Girlz Gathering Facebook page to get updates.

More About Tiffany Stanley

Ever since she was a little girl, Tiffany dreamed of being more than a musician. It was in growing and developing a close and personal relationship with Christ that she knew music was more than the lyrics, chords, and notes. “To me, music is lifting up songs of worship to the Lord.” Tiffany is a musician in pursuit of Worship. “I want this music to promote the most important thing: Jesus Christ.”

Tiffany longs to share the love of Christ in her music, and show others His goodness, grace and mercy. She believes God is going to pour out revival among the nations, and prays that we as believers would rise up to encounter Christ in a whole new way. At 18 years of age, she has spent her first year after high-school enrolling in worship classes and letting God make the dream of making this album come true. She is extremely excited about what the Lord has planned, and knows it is all in His hands for the glory of His name.

Her independently released album Revival talks about exactly what it’s named: Revival. It’s about being justified in Christ, surrendering to His will, letting Him open your eyes, and coming boldly into His presence. “I didn’t want to just make an album, I wanted to tell a story of what a life in Christ is. Of needing Him every second of everyday, knowing one can’t be fulfilled without Him.” She believes in dreaming dreams, surrendering to Christ, and living in His love. “When we give our dreams to God, putting them all in His hands, and realizing that we need Him, that’s when He begins to work in mighty and powerful ways through us. Let us be a generation who stands for Christ, and love as He loves us. Young and old, let’s make an impact on the world together, as we join as one in Him.”

By SOAR • August 2011 • No Comments

Author and singer Dr. Naima Johnston (now Dr. Naima Johnston-Bush after she got married a while back) spoke to us previously on Dream in Soul about how to find and follow your calling (click here for the two-part interview). In this Heart to Heart she speaks about how she learned to trust in God as a young woman and gives advice on embracing your identity in Christ:

I became a Christian in an interesting way. My mother became a Christian when I was a teenager – and that made for interesting times between us. I was so rude and so angry that I wasn’t hearing a thing she had to say. I couldn’t understand this Jesus that she was talking about, but she kept praying for me and witnessing to me and loving me.

I got involved with this guy, and it was not a good situation. He actually was emotionally and on one occasion physically abusive. Because I didn’t love myself, because I thought I was worth nothing, because I really believed that no one would ever love me, I let him do whatever he wanted to do and treat me any kind of way.

One day we got into an argument about what we were going to listen to on the car radio. He told me that he would kill me, hide my body, and no one would ever find me. I knew he meant it. I knew that there had to be more to life then this. That night I prayed and said “God, there has got to be more to life then this…”
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By SOAR • June 2011 • No Comments

With realness and encouragement Jenna Lucado Bishop shares her heart with young women around the country, relating to their everyday questions and delving into the truth of God’s word with them. Whether speaking on stage at The Revolve Tour, a faith and fun-filled weekend for teen girls, or co-authoring books with her father, best-selling author and speaker Max Lucado, Jenna’s passion for God is apparent and inspiring, and her energy and the warmth of her personality are inviting. In this interview Jenna shares how she was led to get involved with The Revolve Tour and gives advice for dreaming on in God and serving Him right where we are, even in uncertain times:

Interview by SOAR’s Editor Julene Fleurmond (A special thank you to the Revolve Tour staff for the interview!)

SOAR: I wanted to start off by asking what led you to be involved with The Revolve Tour and having a heart especially for teen girls?

Jenna Lucado Bishop: My heart for teen girls can be traced back to college. I joined a little singing group that would travel to various girl’s events to lead worship. It was at these all-girl weekends that I realized I loved talking to, encouraging, and offering advice to teenage girls. I wasn’t much older than them, but I had just enough wisdom to offer since high school was finally in hindsight:) I knew that one day, I wanted to work with teen girls full-time. I just didn’t know what that would look like. And it DEFINITELY would not look like me speaking from a stage! Seriously. I never wanted to be a speaker.

Well fast-forward four years, and I hear about this new conference called Revolve. Revolve comes from a “mama” tour called Women of Faith. I knew Women of Faith through my dad, and they told me all about this new conference for girls that they were starting. I casually mentioned that I would love to serve at something like that. I was envisioning helping behind stage or on the concourse, selling product or joining the marketing team. I never knew Mary Graham (president of Women of Faith) would sit down with me a year later and ask me if I wanted to try teaching on stage.

SOAR: When and how did you realize that God was calling you to be a speaker and writer, (did your father’s work have a big influence)?

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By SOAR • March 2011 • No Comments